Regeneration of the Royal Docks

Time Out says

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5 out of 5 stars

Time Out says

Meet at Gallions Reach DLR Station for this walking tour run by regeneration consultancy Urban Glue. Discover how plans have evolved for the development of the world's largest impounded body of water, see some of the success stories and understand the scale and complexity of the regeneration process. Booking essential.

Having been entrenched in Royal Docks for much of the last 7 years and with a keen history of the area I didn't think there was much more to learn, but Marc's tour not only filled gaps in knowledge but set the markers for future regeneration plans that can be easily missed. It is an excellent tour which captures the spirit of Royal Docks, explores the contrast of communities and underpins the vision of our future as the City in the East.

I did this tour as a treat for my parents (it's easy to combing with a trip across the river on the cable car and to the dome / sights of Greenwich) and it was fantastic - Marc really made it interesting for all of us and made sure it was really current and up to date. The tour is well worth while - it really brought the area to life for me and tught me a lot!

A wonderfully and completely engaging three hour walking tour. It's exciting and enchanting to see the many faces of the area and to explore it with such a knowledgable and clearly passionate guide. Well worth it for some of the best hidden gems I've come across.

An unusual and totally absorbing three hours. Marc is obviously an expert on the history of regeneration in the area and this made for a tour quite unlike the normal run-of-the-mill tour of historic sites. For a very different view of London, try this walk - and also see one of the most beautiful little parks in the city along the way.

This was a fantastic walk. I am a visitor from Canada and was looking for something a bit different from touring about the usual sights and am so happy I found this. He was a very good guide and took us to a part of London with a very interesting story. I had heard of the Thames Barrier, it was great to get to see that, plus the city airport area, the docklands, and all the area pending regeneration. The time just flew by. I heartily recommend it.

Highly recommended. One of the most interesting walks I have done with lots of wonderful views and surprises. If you can't make it on a weekday before the 31 October then try and go one weekend during the winter. I hope to do it again next year.
Marc is a knowleable and enthusiastic guide. Thank you!

Marc is great, knowledgeable and passionate about the area, past, present and future. We're lucky to get a sunny day on a sunday and the walk tour is just a great way to spend 3 hours in an area most people don't ever come to. Thank you Marc and cannot recommend enough for the tour.

North Woolwich & Silvertown probably don't rate as being amongst the more prepossessing parts of London but this walk is a fantastic experience. Marc Clark's encyclopaedic knowledge and, I hesitate to use the word, love for the area enlivens the walk. He has an architect's eye for buildings which combined with his knowledge of the history and politics of the area make for a deeply satisfying narrative. Tthe three hours flashed by.

People - you are missing a fascinating walk if you don't take this up. The three hours I spent with Marc just flew past and the route linked places which I had not connected before - he shared fascinating information at every point; at one stage I wanted to write it down for fear of forgetting bits but I have recounted numerous facts to family already. The bridge at the end was a great WOW factor for me. A big thank you.

Great walking tour; Marc's knowledge of local issues & regeneration plans offer a valuable insight into how the area might transform over the next decade. Thoroughly recommended for anyone looking to explore & learn about the Royal Docks area - well worth the money.

An excellent tour. Interesting and informative. I never realised what an incredible, and large, place the Royal Docks is. Although born and brought up in London this is a part I had never visited and really knew nothing about. This is a area which is only just starting to develop its potential.

A great tour...thoroughly enjoyed it. Marc is knowledgable and enthusiastic about regeneration of the area and opened my eyes to what would have otherwise been somewhere I'd never have considered visiting before. I never thought I'd be able to watch a plane take off from the back, side and front, all on the same walk!! City Airport; all the docks; even Excel looked spectacular close up (and in brilliant sunshine!).
Well done Marc for a great morning's entertainment!

This tour is highly recommended for any of you who are interested in the regeneration of this forgotten part of East London. The tour guide is extremely well informed and will be able to answer any questions that you might have. The three hours zipped by. You will learn so much, not just about the developments that are in the pipeline and the sheer loglstics of making these schemes happen, but also about those that "got away". You will also discover some of the history of this fascinating and neglected area.

This was a great and unexpected tour in a really neglected part of London. Would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in how cities develop (or not) and the mess of politics, economics and civil society that come with it.

A very worthwhile morning spent on this tour. I have lived in this area for over 15 years and Marc showed us places that we never knew existed plus we learnt quite a lot about the history and future plans for this area. We would recommend this tour for anyone that is interested in knowing more about this area and enjoys a good informative walk.

I have always been into urban regeneration and this tour was an excellent in-sight into the good and bad of urban regeneration. Takes in all the sites of the docks with extensive detail from the guide (who was also very friendly and made the tour enjoyable). Even discovered places I didn’t know existed! Particularly enjoyed finding out about what’s upcoming in the area and plans for the new cross rails through the borough.
All credit to Marc and thanks for a fab tour. Highly recommend especially for those living in or have a keen interesting in the Docklands....

I really enjoyed this tour, it was informative and intresting as the guide has an extensive knowledge of the Royal Docks. I would recomend this tour as the royals is an interesting part of London. The is some breathtaking views that I would imagine most Londoners have never seen.

Excellent tour by Marc. A good three-hour walk of the Royal Docks, learning about the history, the present and the future plans for the area. Would be of interest to those who want to find out more about East London, and the way our city is growing in the east. Overall, the morning exceeded my expectations, recommended.

There are successes and dramatic 'what could have beens' here. The highlights are the Olympic venue that will have the most medals awarded in 2012 (Excel), the voluptuous Thames Barrier park next to the planned London Zoo aquarium that was designed like the Eden project and the early pendulum bridge near where the 1km cable car from the O2 centre will land as one of Boris' projects.
That and all the talk and drama of how you get large projects started from the well versed professional Marc is.
Attend this and you won't be disappointed if you are involved in, or interested, in how regeneration projects get started and otherwise.
Andrew Smith